A vehicle part inventory management system is provided for filling at least part of the vehicle part orders by one vehicle dealer from the inventory of another vehicle dealer. The inventory management system includes an ordered parts data structure for storing ordered parts information; an inventory data structure for storing vehicle part inventory information for a plurality of vehicle dealers; and a dealer assessment module connected to the ordered parts data structure and the inventory data structure, such that the dealer assessment module receives at least one request to fill a vehicle part order and is able to determine a list of potential supplying dealers that have the ordered vehicle part. The inventory management system further includes a dealer interface module that receives the list of potential supplying dealers and is able communicate a request to supply the ordered vehicle part to at least one of the potential supplying dealers. The dealer interface module is also able to update the ordered parts data structure in real-time when the request for the ordered vehicle part is accepted by one of the potential supplying dealers.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A computer-implemented vehicle part inventory management system that fills vehicle part orders from the inventory of a vehicle dealer, comprising: at least one computer system having at least one memory; an ordered parts database stored in the memory for storing ordered parts information; an inventory database stored in the memory for storing vehicle part inventory information for a plurality of vehicle dealers; the computer system programmed with a part extraction module that is operative to determine from the information in the ordered parts database at least one backordered vehicle part; the computer system programmed with a dealer assessment module operative to compile a list of vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part based on the information stored in the inventory database; and the computer system programmed with a dealer interface module receptive of the list of vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part and operative to communicate a request to supply the backordered vehicle part to at least one of the vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part; said dealer interface module further operative to update a status of the backordered part in the ordered parts database in real-time when the request to supply the backordered vehicle part is accepted by one of the vehicle dealers.
2. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 1 wherein the part extraction module is operative to compile a list of backordered vehicle parts to serve as input to the dealer assessment module.
3. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 2 wherein the part extraction module is operative to sequence the list of backordered vehicle parts based on a priority code associated with each backordered vehicle part.
4. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 1 wherein the dealer assessment module is further operative to determine time zone information for a requesting vehicle dealer and each of the vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part, and to sequence the list of vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part using the time zone information of the vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part as that time zone information relates to the time zone information for the requesting vehicle dealer.
5. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 1 further comprises an interactive voice response (IVR) system receptive of the request for the backordered vehicle part from the dealer interface module and operative to place a telephone call to at least one of the vehicle dealers.
6. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 1 wherein the dealer interface modules upon one of the vehicle dealers accepting the request to supply the backordered vehicle part, is operative to update in real time the vehicle part inventory information in the inventory database for that vehicle dealer.
7. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 1 wherein the dealer interface module is operative to verify an order status for the backordered vehicle part as stored in the ordered parts database prior to communicating the request to supply to the vehicle dealer.
8. A computer-implemented vehicle part inventory management system that fills vehicle part orders from the inventory of a vehicle dealer, comprising: at least one computing platform on which an ordered parts database resides in which ordered parts information is stored and on which an inventory database resides in vehicle part inventory information for a plurality of vehicle dealers is stored; the computing platform having a part extraction module that determines from the information in the ordered parts database at least one backordered vehicle part; the computing platform having a dealer assessment module that compiles a list of vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part based on the information stored in the inventory database; and the computing platform having a dealer interface module receptive of the list of vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part that communicates a request to supply the backordered vehicle part to at least one of the vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part, said dealer interface module further updating a status of the backordered part in the ordered parts database in real-time when the request to supply the backordered vehicle part is accepted by one of the vehicle dealers.
9. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 8 wherein the part extraction module compiles a list of backordered vehicle parts to serve as input to the dealer assessment module.
10. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 9 wherein the part extraction module sequences the list of backordered vehicle parts based on a priority code associated with each backordered vehicle part.
11. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 8 wherein the dealer assessment module further determines time zone information for a requesting vehicle dealer and each of the vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part, and to sequence the list of vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part using the time zone information of the vehicle dealers having the backordered vehicle part as that time zone information relates to the time zone information for the requesting vehicle dealer.
12. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 8 further comprises an interactive voice response (IVR) system receptive of the request for the backordered vehicle part from the dealer interface module and operative to place a telephone call to at least one of the vehicle dealers.
13. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 8 wherein the dealer interface module, upon one of the vehicle dealers accepting the request to supply the backordered vehicle part, is operative to update in real time the vehicle part inventory information in the inventory database for that vehicle dealer.
14. The vehicle part inventory management system of claim 8 wherein the dealer interface module is operative to verify an order status for the backordered vehicle part as stored in the ordered parts database prior to communicating the request to supply to the vehicle dealer.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
November 22, 2000
May 8, 2007
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